Duke men's basketball is in the Elite Eight, and will take on regional foe N.C. State for a trip to Phoenix. The Blue Zone is here with some can't miss prop bets:
Duke (-6.5) vs N.C. State
So far this tournament, Duke has shown the ability to be able to win games at the highest level. Sunday’s matchup is unquestionably the season’s biggest matchup, a rivalry game matchup in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament. N.C. State is on a hot streak, recently knocking off No. 2-seed Marquette Friday. Earlier in the season, the Blue Devils blew out the Wolfpack by 15, and have the skill to do so again. If Duke is able to show up and play its best game on Sunday, it could pull ahead fast and play stifling defense against a familiar foe.
Pick: Duke -6.5
Over/Under 143.5 total points:
In the season’s previous two matchups, both games ended with exactly 143 combined points, 79-64 and 74-69. Additionally, both teams played in low-scoring Sweet 16 games, and should continue to play in lower-scoring affairs. Also, these teams are very familiar with one another’s offensive strategies, and have had weeks to make adjustments and create gameplans for each other.
Pick: Under 143.5 total points
N.C. State over/under 68.5 points
All good Cinderella stories must come to an end at some point, and N.C. State’s should be no exception. The Wolfpack have now played eight consecutive tournament games, with Friday’s game being against a tough Marquette matchup. However, Duke’s defensive acumen matches up very well against N.C. State. Sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor is an elite defender, and will be able to give DJ Horne fits. On the inside, Kyle Filipowski should be looking forward to the opportunity to face off against DJ Burns, with Mark Mitchell waiting in the wings to also tire Burns out.
Pick: Under 68.5 points
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